Jason Schreier

The long-in-development standalone version of zombie sim DayZ is now out in the open. Creator Dean Hall just released an early version of the game on Steam's Early Access program, and it's available on his website, too, although right now that's getting hammered.

This is the first official release of DayZ in non-mod form. Originally designed as a zombie-packed add-on for the military shooter Arma II, DayZ exploded in popularity last year, leading Hall to start work on a standalone version.

"DayZ Early Access is your chance to experience DayZ as it evolves throughout its development process," Hall writes. "Be aware that our Early Access offer is a representation of our core pillars, and the framework we have created around them. It is a work in progress and therefore contains a variety of bugs. We strongly advise you not to buy and play the game at this stage unless you clearly understand what Early Access means and are interested in participating in the ongoing development cycle."